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The 

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Ex Antiquitatis Angiportibus 


The Plays of 


MAEVONIUS 



NDER the above title an American writer (Thomas Dun- 
kin Paret, of Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania,) has produced 
a series of classical plays. The assumed name of the 
author and the Latin motto are intended to hint that the 
plays are the work of a late Roman Dramatist, enamor¬ 
ed of Greek culture. The actual composer has written 
with the idea of putting classical subjects in forms not 
distinctly modern or American, yet to some extent free 
from both the ancient and the middle age spirit. 

All of these plays contain such serious thought as to fit them for quiet 
reading, yet all are suited to scenic and spectacular display. They are so 
worded and cadenced as to give scope for elocutionary effort. 

In addition to his original work the author also offers an adaptation 
of Kingsley’s great novel—Hypatia—-and short adaptations from Thomas 
Hardy, Erckman-Chatrian and Bret Harte. 

Managers, producers and actors are invited to communicate with the 
author at the address above named. 



Copyright, 1^17, by Thomas Dunkin Paret 









TROPHONIUS 


DRAMATIS PERSONAE 


Trophonius- 

Sandoces_ 

Nycteis_ 

A Slave of Sandoces 

The Chief of Boeotarch- 

Ampelos_) 

Enarchas_^ 

First Peasant 
Second Peasant 
First Soldier 
Second Soldier 

Broteas_ 

School Boys, Peasants, etc. 

Hesione_ 

The Serving Maid of Hesione 

Acilia_ 

First Market Woman 
Second Market Woman 
Third Market Woman 
Soemis_:_ 


_An Oracle 

_An Athenian Gallant 

_A Companion of Sandoces 

_The Ruler of Boeotia 

Officers of the Boeotarch’s Court 

_A Servant of Trophonius 

_The Sister of Nycteis 

_The Daughter of Hesione 

.The Daughter of the Boeotarch 


ACT 1 

Scene 1—The Market Place of Tanagra 
Scene 2—A Tavern in Tanagra 

ACT 2 

Scene 1—The Court of the Boeotarch 
ACT 3 

Scene 1—The Home of Acilia 
ACT 4 

Scene 1—The Foreground of the Trophonian Cave 

ACT 5 

Scene 1—The Court of the Boeotarch 


ABSTRACT 

The play opens in the market place of Tanagra, where Boeotian peasants, soldiers, 
school boys and market women banter each other in a style well described by the 
Athenian gallant, Sandoces, who tells his companion, Nycteis* that the Boeotians 
are not as dull as they seem, that they really have a keen wit. Nycteis derides San¬ 
doces for this opinion, telling him he only thinks so because a peasant has discovered 
that his mission is to buy fighting cocks in the Tanagra market, just as if all Athenians 

















did not visit Tanagra for that purpose and that Sandoces had not disclosed his errand 
by wearing a gaffle pinned to his breast. Sandoces retorts that Nycteis is too wise, 
and Nycteis replies that Sandoces is too artificial. In this distinction is to be found 
the philosophy of the play. 

The second scene of the first act takes place in a tavern at Tanagra, where Hesione, 
the sister of Nycteis, is waiting for the return of her lover, Sandoces. Hesione and 
her maid discuss the reason for such a long absence and the difference between lovers 
and brothers. Hesione declares she would rather have her lover right merry and right 
wicked than so sadly chaste as her brother. Sandoces returns, bringing the fighting- 
cock as a present to Hesione. Afterwards Nycteis enters and these three, with the 
maid of Hesione and the slave of Sandoces, argue and chaff each other as to the iden¬ 
tify of the cock, which proves to have been an Athenian cock, brought down from 
Athens on the same ship which brought Sandoces and his companions, and which was 
sent to Boeotia to have the Tanagra seal of fashion set on him by an Athenian. 

The events of the second act take place in the Court of the Boeotarch, where the 
ruler and his advisers discuss fame and revenue. A herald announces the approach 
of visitors from Athens who seek an audience and crave permission to visit the Cave 
of Trophonius. The Boeotarch gives orders for admittance, but tells his Court that, 
whether it be grand or not, it must assume an appearance of grandeur, therefore every¬ 
thing must be posed as if for a grand function. 

The Court attendants pose, the herald sounds and the great doors are flung open, 
whereupon no one enters but Soemis, the young daughter of the Boeotarch, carrying 
a kitten. The Boeotarch exclaims, “What! A child and a kitten at a royal audience!” 
The child answers, “I am thy child and the kitten’s mother is a queen.” The Boeotarch 
attempts to place the function on a plane of seriousness and dignity, and orders a 
nobleman to remove Soemis. The saucy girl insults the great noble, amuses and 
struggles with the courtiers, and teases her father. At last Soemis is led away and 
the retinue again pose for the entry of the Athenian nobles. Sandoces and the Boeo¬ 
tarch engage in high toned discourse till Sandoces discovers his friend, Nycteis, ab- 
strctedly gazing at a golden sandal which Soemis has removed from her bare foot. 
The attention of the Boeotarch being diverted to Nycteis, he describes him as a man 
all intellect, a great man, abstracted from the little things of life. The saucy Soemis 
prevents any interview between her father and Nycteis till the Boeotarch orders the 
servants to drag her away. She breaks loose from them and gives her sandal to Nyc¬ 
teis, telling him if he will be good he shall some day kiss the foot that held the sandal. 

The third act is laid at the home of Acilia, the daughter of Trophonius. Soemis, 
who wants to spy on the house, pretends to be looking for her kitten in the garden, 
and has a saucy interview with Acilia. Acilia is striving to keep the garden free from 
intruders, so her father, worn out by playing his role of oracle in the cave, can take 
the fresh air. Broteas, the slave of Trophonius, watches the gate while Acilia and 
Trophonius talk. Hesione and her maid appear, and, later, the slave of Sandoces, 
who has followed his sweetheart, the maid of Hesione. Hesione meets Soemis and 
talks with her. The maid and the slave flirt. Soemis spys on them all, and Hesione, 
overhearing her questions, declares that she and Sandoces will wed, that the slaves, 
also, shall be wed, and the act ends with a soliloquy of Hesione, who wonders at 
the precociousness of Soemis and the shallowness of that nature which her brother, 
Nycteis, is doomed to think profound. 

The scenes of the fourth act take place in front of the Trophonian Cave, where 
visitors waiting entrance discuss their needs and the inconsistencies of life. The 
market woman and the soldier dispute, because the woman measures her beans in 
the helmets of the soldiers, and the soldier complains that heaven did not fit his head 
to his belly. Sandoces questions many who have been counselled by Trophonius, and 
finally meets both Nycteis and Sandoces, who relate their experience. Hesione dis¬ 
covers her lover and her biother in converse with Soemis, who has disguised herself 
as a peasant child. She rallies them on their conduct and leads the girl away, only 
discovering her identity after the men have departed. 

The action of the fifth act takes place in the court of the Boeotarch, where the 
ruler is discussing affairs with his councillors when Sandoces brings in Acilia (the 
daughter of Trophonius) and Broteas, as captives, accusing them of conspiracy with 
Trophonius. Sandoces urges the ruler to investigate the cavern and uncover the 
frauds by which the simple and confiding are deceived. The ruler defends Trophonius, 
and declares that through all time answer to prayer was a thing not really desired, 
the human race, even though unbelievers in the Gods, craving most the opportunity 
to pray and to confess. 

Trophonius is then brought in as a captive and declares that now, in the fit pres¬ 
ence of his ruler, he will tell who and what he is. This revelation the Boeotarch 
forbids. Hesione then discourses on the inconsistencies of men and things, and ex¬ 
poses the yielding of her supposedly serious and intellectual brother to the childish 
charm of a roadside peasant girl, who is then made to cast off her disguise and is 
revealed as the daughter of the Boeotarch. 


PRAXITELES 


DRAMATIS PERSONAE 


Praxiteles_A Sculptor 

CalLias_,_A Prince 

Diogenes_The Cynic 

Scaurus__^_An Athenian 

Memmius_An Athenian 

Cleon_A Courtier in the retinue of Callias 

Lucius_A Courtier in the retinue of Callias 

Menas_A Mason, the father of Eugia 

Eugia_A Servant to Praxiteles 

Althea_The Mother of Eugia 

Velina_The Wife of Praxiteles 

Nyctelia_A Friend to Eugia 

Marcia_A Great Lady 

Flora_An Attendant on Marcia 

Laco_A Male Attendant 


ACT 1 

Scene 1—The Studio of Praxiteles 
Scene 2.—A Quarry on Pentelicus 

ACT 2 

Scene 1—The Studio of Praxiteles 

Scene 2—A Banquet Room in the House of Praxiteles 

ACT 3 

Scene 1—The Fountain of Salmacis 
Scene 2—An Ante Room of the Studio 
Scene 3—The Home of Althea 

ACT 4 

0 

Scene 1—The Ante Room of Praxiteles 

Scene 2—The Ante Room of Praxiteles, (Two Days Later) 

ACT 5 

Scene 1—The Studio of Praxiteles 
Scene 2—The Fountain of Salmacis 
Scene 3—The Studio of Praxiteles 


ABSTRACT 

Praxiteles, despondent over his work, is confronted with his crippled child, whose 
deformity shames and angers him. He is then encouraged by his Prince, Callias, and 





















soothed by his servant, Eugia, but is again confronted with his deformed child, whose 
defects remind him of the mother’s physical perfections. 

In the second scene Praxiteles visits the quarry to select the marble for his mas¬ 
terpiece. The Prince applauds the proposed work while Diogenes rails at it. 

In the first scene of the second act Velina, the beautiful wife of the sculptor, studies 
her husband’s works and bewails the fact that he can do so much with lifeless stone 
and so little with her own living self. 

The second scene of this act shows the sculptor and his friends at a gay banquet, 
where the new statue is discussed. During the feast a drunken quarryman backs his 
cart up to the door of the studio and drops the stone for the new statue on the sleeping 
wife and deformed child both of whom are killed. 

In the first scene of the third act Diogenes rails at the girls around the fountain 
of Salmacis, telling them that the state needs their bodies for models just as it needs 
the bodies of men for its wars. In the second scene Diogenes and the courtiers wait in 
the ante room of Praxiteles while girls offer themselves as models. 

The third scene takes place in the home of Eugia, where her father and mother 
discuss the great statue, and where the father declares he will do his humble work, as 
a mason, as faithfully as if it were a great work for the state. Eugia enters and re¬ 
veals to her mother her interest in the sculptor whom she so humbly serves. Eugia’s 
friend and her mother scheme to have Eugia secure a choice as model. 

The fourth act opens on the last day for a choice with no satisfactory model 
found. Eugia’s mother comes to tell the sculptor that Eugia is sick and cannot work. 
The sculptor is despondent. The Prince ushers two females in to Praxiteles. One 
offers herself as a model—the other is her servant. The model is partly uncovered by 
her servant, but keeps her face veiled. While the model retires with the sculptor the 
Prince flirts with the waiting maid. During the second scene the prince renews his 
flirtation with the maid, and maid and mistress depart without revealing themselves, 
though they receive from the sculptor fragments of a finger from one of his statues in 
order that they may identify themselves. 

The fifth act opens with a visit to the studio by the prince and officials of the state, 
the latter of whom anger Praxiteles by their criticisms. Praxiteles confides his 
feelings to Eugia. 

In the second scene the Prince and the sculptor are found near the fountain of 
Salmacis, where they think they have identified the model and her maid. The women 
they suspect are Mgrcia and her maid Flora, whose garments, left for repairs with 
the mother of Eugia, had been borrowed by Eugia and her friend when they visited the 
studio in disguise. Marc a and Flora unveil, disclosing age and ugliness, to the 
great disgust of Prince and sculptor. 

In the last scene Diogenes, the Prince and the courtiers discuss the success of 
Praxiteles, who waits impatient for the disclosure of his model. Eugia enters in her 
usual guise as the sculptor’s servant; while Nyctelia her friend, also enters and 
identifies herself by producing her share of the marble finger. Praxiteles interrogates 
the maid as to her mistress and Nyctelia declares she saw her in the studio that very 
day. She places Eugia in the attitude of the new statue and Praxiteles recognizes her. 

Callias declares that she who was found fit for the sculptor’s model should be the 
Prince’s bride, and he offers himself to her. 

Eugia declares that she was promised the sculptor’s greatest work. Diogenes 
places the laurel crown on the heads of various statues, leaving the new one to the 
last, which he says Eugia hails as best not because really the best but because it reveals 
her own fairness. Praxiteles strikes off the head from the statue, because it embodies 
a trick. 

The Prince then awards Praxiteles, himself, to Eugia, saying that the man is his 
own greatest work. 


PANDORA 

(An Episode in Atlantis) 


DRAMATIS PERSONAE 


Pandora _ 
Chinqui 

Valde_ 

Nelodee 
Melarisse 
Aeierette 
Andar_ 


A Priestess 
-__A Vestal 

_A Vestal 

_A Vestal 

__A Vestal 

—The Girl 
_The Man 


ACT 1 

Scene 1—The Home of the Vestals 
Scene 2—The Home of the Vestals 

ACT 2 

Scene 1—The Ice Cliffs 
ACT 3 

Scene 1—A Mountain Pass 
Scene 2—The Home of the Vestals 

ACT 4 

Scene 1—The Hut of Andar 
Scene 2—The Home of the Vestals 

ACT 5 

Scene 1—A Glacial River 

Scene 2—The Home of the Vestals 

Scene 3—Pandora at the Altar 

Scene 4—A Glacial River 

Scene 5—The Ocean Fog 

Scene 6—The Home of the Vestals 


ABSTRACT 

Pandora, the Priestess, lives with her Vestals on the lost isle of Atlantis. Men 
are unknown. History is unknown. The women live in an unchanging, dull happiness, 
knowing nothing save their own sensations and what they glean from the strange scenes 
around them; though Pandora, as their Priestess, instructs them from her one book, 
which she, herself, only vaguely understands, and which has many pages torn out &nd 
many words defaced or illegible. This book proves to be the last of the Sybilline books 













and Pandora the last of the Sybils, transported, she knows not how t to the strange 
island of Atlantis. 

Andar the man, is shipwrecked and escapes in a small boat which drifts on the 
shore of Atlantis. He finds a tunnel in the ice cliffs surrounding the island—a tunnel 
eaten out by the warm waters which flow to the sea from an internal volcano. He 
makes his way through this tunnel and penetrates the interior of the island. 

Under their apparent placid content a feeling of unrest and wistfulness arises 
among the women, and under the stress of this feeling the Priestess and the Vestals 
sometimes stray up the ravines which radiate from their happy valley, and struggle to 
ihe tops of the barren passes which lead up and away from it. 

In one such excursion, more venturesome than usual, Pandora crosses the highest 
mountain barrier and descending the other side finds Andar, prostrate and in delirium, 
he having just landed from his small boat. Pandora does not know if it is a monster 
or a god—of man s.he has never heard. 

In his delirium Andar talks of Marcia, and Pandora vaguely learns there are such 
things as women and that Marcia and she, herself, are women. She learns that Andar 
has wronged Marcia and wishes that she, too, might be wronged. 

She brings food and drink to Andar who completely recovers and then a secret 
intercourse begins. 

Eventually two of the Vestals light on the path made by the feet of Pandora in 
her visits to Andar. It leads them to a hut where they discover a helmet, which they 
mistake for an ant’s egg, and also they find a sword. The dropping of the sword 
awakens a strange, wild cry, and the Vestals fly in fright, but, returning, find an un¬ 
known object which proves to be a baby. Pandora and Andar, who have heard the 
babe’s cry approach the hut. Pandora soothes the child and Andar discovers the Ves¬ 
tals in the hut. Pandora is indignant at the Vestals and jealous of Andar—upbraiding 
all of them with their deceit. 

In the explanation which follows the Vestals learn for the first time that there 
are such things as men, women, wives, husbands and babies. They declare that they, 
too, will be fathers and that Andar shall be their husband. 

Andar becomes satiated with his unchanging happiness and longs for the compan¬ 
ionship of men. Pandora discovers his restlessness and is told that he has placed a 
letter with his signet ring, in a sealed bamboo, and launched it on the river, hoping 
it might float to sea and reach his friends 

The final act shows that Andar’s missive had been discovered and the arrival of 
men, in quantity, had changed the once manless isle to a natural abode of the race. 
At last the usual conflict arises between the sexes and each angrily asserts its claims. 
Then peace is made and the decision is arrived at that they will no longer dispute—that 
the men will not again seek the world they have forsworn, and that the women will desert 
their homes of tranquil peace, both journeying up stream to new lands where they can 
work and love together. When the boats and the rafts are ready a cry is raised that 
Andar has fallen ,n the flood. Boats and rafts are cast off and are swept rapidly away 
down stream, out of sight leaving the women once more to themselves. 

T;he escaping men are lost in fog and ice and finallv the last load, after curses and 
denunciations of fraud and deception, fight with their swords on the floating raft till 
the last man is killed. 

Left long alone the women deplore their lot, and Pandora, ever studying her sacred 
book discovers a letter hidden by Andar between its pages. This letter tells them that 
the men had grown sick of tiresome beauty and happiness and that the abandonment 
was deliberate and final. 

They learn the meaning of still more new words—traitor, deceit, delusion, despair, 
wait, pray! 


HERMES 


DRAMATIS PERSONAE 


Baubo _A Rustic 

Gallonius_i_The Father of Baubo 

Hemona____The Mother of Baubo 

Battus_A Shepherd, (Touchstone) 

Baucis..__,_The Swine Tender for Hemona 

Cecropius___A Roman Senator 

Erysicthon_The Son of Cecropius, (A Tearer-up of the Earth) 

Hersa_—__A Daughter of Cecropius 

Aglauros_A Daughter of Cecropius, (Envy) 

Pandrosos__A Daughter of Cecropius, (The All-Bedewing) 

First Huckster 
Second Huckster 
Shop Keeper 

Acesta_A Roman Matron 

Semiramis__-The Slave of Hersa 

The Door Keeper 


ACT 1 

Scene 1—The Porta Capena, Rome 
Scene 2—The Swamp, by Night 
Scene 3—The Hut of GalJonius 

ACT 2 

Scene 1—The Atrium of Cecropius 
Scene 2—The Apartment of Hersa 

ACT 3 

Scene 1—The Hut of Gallonius 

Scene 2—Empty House in the Vineyard of Gallonius 
Scene 3—The Swamp, by Daylight 
Scene 4—The Swamp, by Night 

ACT 4 

Scene 1—The Apartment of Hersa 

ACT 5 

Scene 1—The Museum of Cecropius 

NOTE—The second scene of act three should reproduce the well known painting by 

Paul Thumann—“Art Wins the Heart.” 


ABSTRACT 

The play opens in a public square at Rome, where the populace have gathered to 
celebrate the festival of Mercury—the Roman Hermes. Gallonius and Hemona, peas¬ 
ants of Greek descent, mingle in the throng, bringing with them their gawky son, 
Baubo. The crowd ridicule him and his parents for their uncouthness. Acesta and 
Hersa, a Roman matron and the daughter of the Roman Senator, discover Baubo, 


















asleep, and think they see a likeness to the Hermes. In the second scene Baubo, 
interested by some tale of Hermes visits a swamp, at night, for some glimpse of 

him, and Hersa, who has wandered from the home of Acesta, gets lost and reaches 

the swamp. 

In the third scene Hemona unpacks an old chest and reveals her heir looms. The 
right of these gives rise to a discussion concerning the origin of the family, its history, 
its present condition and the contrasts between the humble and the rich. Their 
neighbors deride them because of their visit to the festivities in Rome, and Baubo 

and his parents resent the ridicule and assert their own value. 

Hemona discovers that Baubo has been attracted by Hersa, and as the scene closes, 
by a few deft changes in their vesture and the use of relics from the old chest, 
Hemona transforms her husband into the likeness of a patrician and her son into a 
likeness of Hermes. 

The first scene of the second act is devoted to a visit which Hemona pays to the 
atrium of Cecropius and the room of Hersa, in hope of finding out what sort of being 
the girl is who has attracted the fancy of her son. She succeeds in drawing out many 
of Hersa’s romantic ideas and learns of her interest in Baubo w T hen she found him 
asleep after the festival, and also learns of her visit to the swamp. 

In the third act Hemona tells her son of her visit to Hersa, and encourages him 
in his fancy for her. She chides him for his humility and tells him that Paris was 
only a Shepherd yet gained the love of both Venus and Helen. She reminds him 
that, by a few trivial changes, she had made them assume the appearance of their 
betters, and admonishes Baubo that he must transform himself. The father asserts 
that possibly they have been overproud and sunk too low—that it is one thing to 
disdain the trappings of the rich and another to overlook the niceties which underlie 
the trappings. 

In the second scene of the third act Baubo is seated in the empty house in the 
vineyard of Gallonius, while Baucis, ,the female swine tender, stands at the doorway. 
Baubo x’elates the story of Baucis and Philemon which is depicted on the vase he is 
handling. Hersa unexpectedly takes the place of the swine-herder and Baubo, in con¬ 
fusion, drops the vase and breaks it. Hersa rushes in to help Baubo pick up the 
pieces and during this operation, lengthened out by their attempt to patch the pieces 
together, a flirtation .begins. Hersa accuses Baubo of undoing his work like Penelope 
of old, so as to prolong the task. Baubo induces Hersa to relate the tale of Penelope. 
He also persuades her to revisit the swamp, at night, in hope of seeing Hermes . 

In the fourth act Baubo visits the home of Cecropius in hope of meeting Hersa, 
but only finds the envious sister, Aglauros. 

The last act takes place in the Museum of Cecropius, where preparations have 
been made to install a statue of the Flying Mercury which has been dug up in the 
vineyard of Gallonius. When the museum is left deserted Baubo enters in the disguise 
of an old man, penetrates the alcove where the statue is to be placed arrays himself as 
the Flying Mercury and poses. Pandrosos then enters and accosts the various statues 
in the museum, finally drawing aside the curtain and examining the alcove where 
Baubo tries to stand motionless. She thinks it moves and withdraws—then enters 
again, so hastily that Baubo has not time to resume his pose and therefore kneels. 
Pandrosos flies.’ Baubo then approaches the statues in the museum and mimics the 
apostrophes of Pandrosos. Aglauros then enters—opens the curtains which shield 
the alcove and seats herself opposite in a shaded corner. Baubo launches into a bitter 
invective against Aglauros during which she slowly stiffens into a stone statue of 
Envy, which Baubo places on the pedestal next that reserved for the Mercury. Hersa 
then enters with her maid whom she orders to draw the curtains from the alcove. 
Hersa recognizes the cap of Baubo and the ring which Hermes, as she thinks, stole 
from her by moonlight in the swamp. Taking these with her she disappears in the 
alcove. 

Cecropius summons his daughters to greet the new statue, but Pandrosos is the 
only one to appear. She declares she does not know where her sisters are—that she 
cnly went to take a peep at that sweet statue in the alcove and when she returned her 
sisters had disappeared. Cecropius tells her that she raves—that the statue still is in 

the street_at which s.he draws the curtains and discloses Baubo on the pedestal in the 

pose of the Hermes, and Hersa leaning against the statue of Envy into which Aglauros 
has been transformed. 


AESCULAPIUS 


The Drop Curtain Should Reproduce the Painting 
“A Visit to Aesculapius” 
by E. J. Poynter, R. A. 
in the 

Chantrey Room 
at the 

South Kensington Museum 
London. 


DRAMATIS PERSONAE 


Aesculapius_A Learned Physician 

Panaetius_-__A Ruler of Sparta 

Pentheus_A Young Athenian 

Rhoeteus_A Young Athenian 

Telemon_A Young Athenian 

Zeno_A Young Spartan 

Aristo___A Fruit Peddler 

Nepos_A Servant of Panaetius 

Maevius_,_An Athenian Exquisite 

Melissa_The Second Wife of Aesculapius 

Lalage_A daughter of Aesculapius by his First Wife 

Arria_A Female Servant to Aesculapius 

Veritas- The Wife of Aristo 

Mania_A Dancing Girl 

Chloris__A Dancing Girl 

Eugia-A Flute Player 

Hestia-A Tympanist 


ACT I 

Scene 1—The Shrine of Aesculapius 
Scene 2—Room in the House of Aesculapius 

ACT 2 

Scene 1—Dining Room of Pentheus 
Scene 2—The Altar of Hestia 

ACT 3 

Scene 1—The Shrine of Aesculapius 
Scene 2—Room in House of AescuLapius 

ACT 4 

Scene 1—The Home of Aristo and Veritas 























ABSTRACT 


The servants of the Healer and the Ruler make a jest of the wisdom of their mas¬ 
ters, counting it as little compared with their own plain common sense. The masters 
discuss the relative merits of law and medicine. The Ruler is introduced to the wife 
and daughter of the Healer whose seriousness is made a jest of by both. 

Pentheus, a fashionable young Athenian, entertains his Spartan friend, Zeno, and, 
after Pentheus has declared Aesculapius to be the greatest man of Athens, he and his 
family are gossiped about by the host and his gay guests. 

They all pay a visit to the Altar of Hestia, whose fire is to be rekindled by Aescu¬ 
lapius, after it has been allowed to die out, owing to the carelessness of a vestal who 
has admitted a lover to the shrine and fallen asleep in his arms. Aesculapius rekindles 
the fire with a burning glass. The Priestess leads out a shrinking figure, [heavily veil¬ 
ed, and denounces her as the culprit. She is at once recognized by her robe as Lalage, 
the daughter of Aesculapius, but being unveiled is discovered to be a stranger. 

The curtain rises at the third act on a tableau representing “A Visit to Aescul¬ 
apius,” as pictured on the drop curtain. After the nymphs of the picture have con¬ 
sulted Aesculapius, at his shrine, a variety of visitors approach seeking both medicine 
and advice and confessing their weaknesses. When the tired physician declares he 
will see no more visitors his wife and his daughter take his place, each in turn, after 
disguising themselves. Last of all Arria, the female servant, seats herself at the 
shrine and gives advice to the patients. 

Aesculapius discovers the actions of his family who defend their doings. Melissa, 
Ihe step-mother of Lalage discovers the robe left near the altar by the matron whose 
daughter had been falsely condemned, and thus learns that Lalage was the real culprit. 

The old friends and their servants again discuss the relative merits of law and 
healing and decide to visit the new altar raised near the Parthenon “To the Unknown 
God.” Arria tells them of a living oracle and they decide to visit her. This entails 
a visit to the home of the Fruit Peddler, where they have an interview with his wife, 
Veritas. The Healer and the Ruler find the fashionable young Athenian, Pentheus, 
under the grape arbor at the house of Aristo and Veritas, where he is drinking wine in 
company with his Spartan guest, Zeno, and with the dancing girls. The Healer and 
the Ruler reprove them for their light living and t-he gay crowd defends its conduct. 
As the wise men approach the cottage of the Fruit Peddler they discover their own' 
servants, Nepos and Arria, amusing themselves with a charcoal caricature on the white 
wall of the cottage, and reproving them for such waste of time, draw out from both 
servants their views of life. Last of all they find Veritas and draw from her the whole 
story of her life. After comparing the contradictory views of all these characters they 
decide that they have themselves probably sacrificed wisdom to knowledge. 



PHILAMMON 

(A Dramatic Version of Kingsley’s “Hypatia”) 


DRAMATIS PERSONAE 


Philammon_ 

Pambo_ 

Arsenius_ 

Raphael Ben Ezra 

Orestes_ 

The Amal_ 

Wulf_ 

Eudaemon_ 

Miriam_ 

Pelagia_ 

Hypatia_ 

Judith_ 

Victoria_ 


Students, 

Pelagia’s 


:_A Young Monk 

_The Abbot 

_An Emperor’s Tutor 

_A Jewish Agnostic 

_A Roman Prefect 

_A Viking 

_A Scandinavian Warrior 

_A Porter 

_A Jewess 

_A Wantoh 

_A Priestess of Dying Faiths 

_The Wife of Eudaemon 

_A Christian Maiden 

Monks, Jews, Roman Slave Girls, 

Girls, Street Populace, Etc. 


ACT 1 

Scene 1— The Laura 

Scene 2—The Nile 

Scene 3—The Amal’s Barge 

ACT 2 

Scene 1—A Street in Alexandria 
Scene 2—Hypatia’s Academy 

ACT 3 

Scene 1—The Chamber of the Gods 
Scene 2—Eudaemon’s Apartment 

ACT 4 

Scene 1—The Theatre 
Scene 2—Hypatia’s Room 

ACT 5 

Scene 1—A Street in Alexandria 


ABSTRACT 

i 

Philammon, a young monk from the monastery in a desert beyond the Nile, of 
which Pambo is the abbot, returns to the monastery garden after his search for 
firewood. He brings with him, hidden under his cloak, a painted vase which gives 
him his first knowledge of woman. Then, he rebels at t.he reproofs of the abbot and 
declares he will see the world for himself. Pambo objects, but yields to his appeals 
and to the arguments of Arsenius, who has seen much of the great world, and 
Philammon leaves the monastery in his little boat. 























This boat is capsized against the Amal’s barge and the young monk is hauled on 
board it among the Scandinavian warriors and the girls of Pelagia. Disputes arise 
as to whether they shall continue their voyage up the river in search of Asgard, the 
City of the Gods, or drift down in search of pleasure. They turn and sail down stream 
towards Alexandria. At Alexandria Philammon is left to shift for himself, but before 
the crowd separates Pelagia and Philammon are mutually attracted and Pelagia is 
struck by the resemblance of Philammon to herself. 

Philammon then meets Eudaemon, the Porter, who initiates him into some of the 
life of Alexandria, telling him, among other things—about Hypatia. 

The second scene of the second act shows Hypatia in her academy, in a period of 
despondency, just before she lectures. She becomes still more depressed when 
she catches sight of Miriam, the Jewess sorceress, who has been haunting her steps. 

Orestes, the Roman Prefect, calls on Hypatia, telling her that her worst rival, 
Pelagia, has gone up the Nile with the Amal, and Orestes leaves a letter in which he 
offers to make Hypatia his bride and the ruler over an Egyptian empire. 

Raphael, the Jewish Agnostic, in love with Hypatia seeks her in disguise because 
he is a Jew and the Jew’s quarter has just been sacked. Then Pelagia and her girls 
and the Amal with his Scandinavian followers take seats in the audience room. 
Hypatia begins her discourse, affronting Pelagia but winning the approval of Wulf, 
a leader among the warriors of the Amal Then she speaks scornfully of the Christian 
leligion, and affronts Philammon. The audience breaks up in disorder and Philammon 
alone remains. He confesses his ignorance to Hypatia and beseeches her to teach him. 

The first scene cf the third act takes place in the Chamber of the Gods, where 
Hypatia, doubtful and despondent, addresses the different Gods, seeking a sign. 
Miriam the sorceeress, gains admittance and taunts her, promising to give her a sign, 
and telling her that she can call up Apollo for her. Hypatia agrees to visit her. 

The next scene occurs at the apartments of Eudaemon, where he with his wife, 
Judith, are at supper having Philammon as a guest. Miriam enters and bids the 
slave girls who follow her to bring fowls and wine. She induces Philammon to drink 
and excites his imagination by her talk of Hypatia. She drugs the wine of Eudaemon 
and still further excites Philammon with wine and music. Hypatia appears at the 
door, having come under promise of having Apollo raised for her, and Miriam succeeds 
:n so posing Philammon that he seems to be Apollo. Hypatia is so overcome with 
her long expectation and with the effects of incense and light that she is deceived and 
accosts Philammon as Apollo. Philammon welcomes her rapturously, and then under 
the influence of a cross held up to him by Judith, the Christian wife of Eudaemon, 
spurns her, and leaps out of the window. 

The fourth act opens in the theatre where Orestes is giving an entertainment to 
the populace in hope of getting them to proclaim him Emperor. He has Hypatia seated 
with him and makes an address to the people. Then Pelagia appears as the star of 
the festival and dances the dance of Venus Anadyomene. Philammon hails Pelagia as 
his sister and urges her to fly with him, ,but she is carried off by the Amal and his 
warriors. Orestes resumes his speech and tells the people that the Roman Emperor has 
been defeated and suggests a separate ruler for Africa. Dissenting voices declare that 
the Emperor has been victorious, and there arises a great tumult during which the 
guards of Orestes escort him and Hypatia safely from the theatre. 

In the fourth act Raphael interviews Hypatia and tells her of his marriage and of 
his conversion to Christianity. 

The last act shows the streets of Alexandria in the throes of a popular tumult. 
A chariot appears in which Hypatia is seated splendidly arrayed, and her friends and 
students flock around her. Then a riot begins, in which all parties share; Jews, 
Christians, Roman Soldiers and town’s people; but the Monks, who have planned the 
riot, are victor.ous, and Hypatia is seized, torn from her chariot and dragged up the 
steps of the Caesaraum and through its iron gates which are closed behind her, while her 
fighting friends are beaten back unable to rescue her from a brutal death. 


THE THREE STRANGERS 

Adapted from The Wessex Tales of Thomas Hardy 


DRAMATIS PERSONAE 


Shepherd Fennel 
Mrs. Fenpel 
The First Stranger 
The Second Stranger 
The Third Stranger 
The Constable 
The Magistrate 
The Turnkey 

Musicians, Dancers, Shepherds, Rustics 


ABSTRACT 

The whole action takes place in the living room of a shepherd’s hut on an English 
moor. In this room a christening party is taking place while a furious storm beats 
upon the house. During the dance three strangers arrive in succession. The first is an 
escaped prisoner from the jail in a neighboring town, who w T as to have been hanged 
the next day. The second is the hangman; unknown to the company, because the 
local hangman is sick and a stranger has been secured in his place. The third is a 
brother of the escaped criminal who is so overcome at the sight of the condemned man 
and the hangman in close proximity that he arouses the suspicions of the dancers and 
is afterwards pursued as the criminal. 

The hangman joins in the merriment of the christening party and sings a song 
about his trade, in which song the escaped criminal joins in the choruses. When an 
alarm is sounded from the castle and pursuers enter the shepherd’s hut, the women go 
up stairs and all the men join the constable’s posse and go in pursuit. 

The hangman tires of the chase in the storm and returns to the hut, as does later 
the criminal. 

The supposed criminal is at last caught hiding near the hut, and being brought in 
is soon recognized by the magistrate and the turnkey as being innocent. 

The first stranger—the real culprit—escapes. 






THE MAYENCE HAM 


Adapted from a tale by 
Erckman-Chatrian 


DRAMATIS PERSONAE 

Master Sebald Dick-The LandLord of the Mayence Ham 

Gredel_The Landlord’s Wife 

Fridoline-The Landlord’s Daughter 

Christian-A Young Painter, Lover of Fridoline 

Father Johannes___A Capuchin 

Trievel Rasimus-A Stocking Darner 

Dr. Eselkopf-The Village Doctor 

The Registrar 

Toubac-A Tinker 

Fritz___A Peasant 

Yokel-A Peasant 

The Watchman 

Roselkasten-The Bandmaster 

Servants, Peasants, Children and Villagers 
The action of the play takes place in and near the Hostelry of the Mayence Ham— 
in its courtyard—in the bed-chamber of the landlord—at the home of Trievel Rasimus, 
adjoining the Hostelry—at the house of Dr. Eselkopf, and at the Hermitage of 
Father Johannes. 

ABSTRACT 


Master Franz Christian Sebald Dick the landlord of the Mayence Ham, gives a 
great banquet, to which he has invited his intimate friends and also his neighbours, even 
tc the humblest. In a set speech, at the dinner, he glorifies himself—boasting of his 
success, which he attributes to the sun as the giver of agricultural prosperity. His hot¬ 
headed friend, Father Johannes, takes exception to this speech, and the two engage in a 
personal combat in which the landlord gets terribly beaten. 

Sebald is so injured that he is confined to his bed, where the whole household waits 
upon him. Trievel Rasimus, t.he stocking darner, with some of the revellers from the 
last night’s banquet, go in a body to the house of Dr. Eselkopf who exhorts them as to 
the sin of gluttony and wine-bibbing. The Doctor visits Sebald and prescribes vege¬ 
tables and water, with total abstinence from wine. Sebald rebels, but submits, and 
grows thinner and more melancholy, saying that such a life is not worth living. Trievel 
Rasimus schemes till she is allowed to help nurse him and at last, being left alone wit.h 
h'm, comforts him with some Sonneberg Water, which proves to be good, old wine. Un¬ 
der this treatment Sebald rapidly improves. He brings Fridoline and Christian, the 
young painter, together and promises Trievel Rasimus a great surprise. Sebald ar¬ 
ranges to have a great banquet in honor of his recovery, but is at his wits’ end to know 
how he can get along without Father Johannes, with whom he has been at enmity ever 
since their affray Father Johannes is equally at a loss, as the two have for years been 
inseparable friends. Both are now melancholy, but both are too proud to make advances. 

Trievel Rasimus who is very fond of both, and who is indebted to Sebald because he 
has offered her a home in his house, undertakes to reconcile the two old friends. In this 
attempt she visits the hermitage of the Capuchin and tells him of the feast, exciting 
his imagination and his gluttony by a list of the wonderful meats and drinks which Se¬ 
bald is going to offer. The Capuchin combats the temptation, and denounces gormand¬ 
izers, though he is greatly move.d when he learns that his old friend, Sebald, has kept 
the seat of honor for h’m. 

Failing to win the Capuchin by these tales Trievel Rasimus then invents the story 
that Sebald has only issued his invitation to Father Johannes so as to humiliate him— 
that he has publicly challenged the Capuchin to attend, telling the villagers that the 
monk does not dare to appear and defend his God. This so angers the Capuchin that 
he is eager to attend the festival. 

When the feast begins Father Johannes is absent, and Sebald in an opening speech 
upbraids him for his unfriendly conduct, thanking his guests for their faithful remem¬ 
brance and referring to his own well known long friendship for Father Johannes and to 
xhe Monk’s relations to Sebald’s family and his children. 

When Father Johannes appears Sebald rushes to him in delight but is met with a 
bitter speech in which the monk speaks of the challenge which Sebald has sent him and 
which he has come to answer While Sebald is in a state of consternation at this, 
Trievel Rasimus explains what she has done and says that as Sebald has promised to 
grant her, on th's occasion, anything she may ask, her one wish is that the two old 
friends shall at once be reconciled 

An exciting reconciliation at once occurs and the feast goes on with music and 
jollity, ending with the publ.c betrothal of Fridoline and Christian. 















THE CONVERT OF THE MISSION 

(Adapted from the tale of the same name by Bret Harte.) 


DRAMATIS PERSONAE 


Stephen Masterton,__A Revivalist Preacher 

Deacon Sanderson_An Aid to the Preacher 

Sister Jackson_A Worker in the Vineyard 

Sister Stokes__A Worker in the Vineyard 

Dr. Duchesne_The County’s Friend 

Jack Frisbie_From the Camp at Tasajara 

Concepcion_A Servant to Masterton 

Pepita Ramirez_The Niece of the Mission Gardener 

The action takes place in the home of Sister Deborah Stokes—under the archway 
of an adobe house in a small town in Southern California—and in the gardens of the 
mission and of Masterton’s dwelling. 


ABSTRACT 

In the first scene Sister Jackson and Deacon Sanderson call at the house of Sister 
Deborah Stokes, where Stephen Masterton had been taken after a mental and physical 
collapse which occurred during his camp meeting exhortations. 

Deacon Sanderson and the brethren who accompany him are vexed at the carnal 
nursing of the women. Sister Stokes is vexed at the men and says this isn’t the time 
for striving and admonishing. She calls in Dr. Duchesne. The Doctor, not knowing 
Masterton, accuses him of drinking and riotous living, but, on learning his identity, 
declares that the effects of his life are practically the same on his body as if he did live 
riotously. He orders him to take a long rest at some very quiet place. 

The second scene occurs at the old house where Masterton is relaxing, in a sleepy 
town of Mexican and Romanist complexion in Southern California. Here Jack Frisbie, 
a miner from Tasajara, interviews him, and Masterton confides to him that this lazy 
life is telling on his constitution, and that, under the influence of flowers, sunshine, fra¬ 
grance, and a simple diet of bread, chocolate and fruits he is losing his vigor. 

As the preacher gets settled down to his surroundings it occurs to him to sing some 
of his familiar hymns. In doing this, he becomes aware of an occasional faint accom¬ 
paniment on the guitar. Failing to catch the tune the guitarist launches into gay 
music. Masterton becomes curious as to the player and discovers a pretty Mexican 
girl, on a wall, who is so frightened that she falls off the wall into his arms. She tells 
him who she is and he goes off with a rose which she has dropped. 

At breakfast the next morning, his old Mexican housekeeper, Conception, calls 
his attention to the rose, and he questions her as to the identity of the girl in the gar¬ 
den. He thinks it his duty to convert the girl and sends her a note by Concepcion, ask¬ 
ing her to meet him at evening in the garden. 

The meeting takes place, but Pepita does not bring her guitar. She expresses her 
belief that Masterton has sought the meeting so as to make love to her, and when he 
denies this, and tells her his object is only to save her soul she runs away. 

Masterton returns to his house, discouraged, but excited. He confides in Concep¬ 
cion, and tells her that it is only the salvation of Pepita’s soul that he seeks. While 
Thus protesting, Pepita sings some of Masterton’s hymns to a guitar accompaniment, 
and Masterton, seeking her, finds her again on the wall. When she jumps from this and 
attempts to escape, the Preacher pursues her through the garden, and. overcome by his 
love when he catches her, he presses her to his bosom and kisses her. 

The last scene, like the first, takes place in the parlor of Sister Deborah Stokes, 
where she is heard deploring with Sisters Sanderson and Jackson, the backsliding of 
the Preacher. Dr. Duchesne arrives and is told by Deacon Sanderson that the Preacher 
i'ias married a foreign female papist and is mixed up in idolatrous rites. 













Table of Contents 


TROPHONIUS_A Comedy of Boeotia 

(The Conflict of Shadow and Sunlight) 

PRAXITELES_An Athenian Episode 

(The Story of Faithful Work) 

PANDORA_A Chapter of Atlantis 

(A Feminist Struggle) 

HERMES_Double Rebellion in Decadent Rome 

(The Search for Real Culture) 

AESCULAPIUS_The Shrine and the Judgment Seat 

(The Lurking Places of ]HvJ) 

PHILAMMON_..An Alexandrian Spectacle 

(The Story of Conflicting Faiths) 

THE THREE STRANGERS_A Wessex Tale 

THE MAYENCE HAM_ _A Jovial Landlord 

THE CONVERT OF THE MISSION_An Idyl of Effort and Rest 














Copyrighted, 1917, by 

THOMAS DUNK1N PARET 








































































